Environment and Resources

Module 6: Pollution

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

define pollution
describe the types of pollutants that influence air, land, and water
describe the effects and possible solutions to various sources of pollution
develop and implement a 3-R (reduce, reuse, and recycle) waste management system at home or school
outline the detrimental effects of pollutants on society
identify undesirable and unexpected byproducts and relate them to specific technologies
describe the interactions of technology and society in the historical development of a specific waste management technology
relate individual and community responsibilities to societal waste problems

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Have small groups of students research one source of waste to describe the historical and current technologies used in managing that waste. Students should discuss the short- and long-term impact of the specific waste on the environment. Each group could make a presentation to the class, including its recommendations for change.
Have students debate the issues of waste management, pollution, and responsibility.
Have groups of students create local action plans for improving waste management systems. As follow-up, students might initiate and carry out some of their strategies. They might also write letters to councils or government officials outlining their suggested actions.
Have each student choose a category of household pollutant (e.g., cleaners, insecticides, paint strippers) and research its effects on the environment.
Visit a local sewage treatment or disposal plant. Have students compare primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of treatment, and identify related scientific and technological issues.
Have students set up a closed system (e.g., one containing decomposing grass) and generate methane gas. Have them measure the gas produced and then vary the conditions to produce more or less gas. Caution: Teachers conducting this activity should emphasize safety precautions because of the flammability of methane.
Have students create a flowchart of waste recycling, relating it to photosynthesis.
Have students use recommended resources to explore the impact of environmental pollutants.
Discuss the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). Have students identify examples of each at both the individual and community level.
Organize a field trip to see how waste is being used to create new products. Have groups of students research one example in which the production of waste has led to the development of new technology to reuse something.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

Students' performance on quiz questions should be assessed for accuracy.
Students may assess group presentations for a variety of criteria, using a rating scale. Criteria might include the number of points made, organization, clarity, and scientific references.
Assess students' debates using a checklist to track relevant points, supporting details, and scientific references.
Assess students' strategies for community action for planning, subgoals, realistic suggestions, and outcome.
Assess students' reports on household pollutants using a rating scale for grammar, links to the environment, scientific details, and thoroughness.
Assess students' group studies about waste disposal for organization, thoroughness, and detail.
Assess students' laboratory reports on decomposition for layout and scientific method (hypothesis, outline of procedure, variables, data collection and presentation, discussion, conclusions).
Assess students' flowcharts for clarity and thoroughness.
Students can assess their own performances in using computer simulations of environmental impact and pollution, and record their progress in their logs.
Assess class databases for the quality and the quantity of their entries.